


Honesty

by Skylark



Series: SASO 2016 [5]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Anticipation, Celebrity Girlfriends, Character Study, Domestic, Established Relationship, F/F, Long-Distance Relationship, Public Transportation, Skype, Television Watching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-16
Updated: 2016-09-16
Packaged: 2018-08-15 07:25:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8047645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skylark/pseuds/Skylark
Summary: These days, she tries not to lie to herself. It was a hard-won lesson, taught to her by a girl who leads by example.





	Honesty

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ethereally](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ethereally/gifts).



> [Original Prompt:](https://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/13489.html?thread=4793777#cmt4793777) "Remember when Honoka was away on tour and Eli raced home after work to watch all her live shows on television?"

Eli can't stop herself from checking her watch.  
  
It's analog, a pretty flash of silver and leather on her wrist, and it says the same time it did when she checked a few seconds ago. She stares for a moment to make sure it's not broken, but the second hand is still ticking away, steady and calm as ever.  
  
Eli knows she should emulate that same calmness, but her foot taps against the floor despite herself.  
  
It's the middle of winter, and the rush hour train is even more crowded than normal with the addition of heavy coats and bundled scarves. Eli catches her reflection in the window and her cheeks are bright red—from the cold, she tells herself.  
  
She presses her lips together, mock-scolding herself for her own eagerness, before she ducks her head to hide her smile. These days, she tries not to lie to herself. It was a hard-won lesson, taught to her by a girl who leads by example.  
  
She stifles the urge to check the time again. She's cutting it close but she knows she'll make it; Eli prides herself on her punctuality. Still, she hustles off the train when it comes to her stop, takes the steps to the street two at a time, begins at a walk that slowly gets faster, faster.  
  
She flies into her apartment, shedding gloves and coat and shoes as she stumbles her way to the TV, and clicks it on with a few fumbles of her cold-numbed fingers. She blows on them to help them thaw as the TV wakes up.  
  
Audio comes first. "Everyone!" she hears a familiar voice cry, and the excitement in it matches the thrill of pride in her chest. "This is Honoka! Are you having fun tonight?"  
  
Eli turns away from the TV then, returning to the narrow hallway to pick up the clothing she'd strewn about in her haste. The infectious beat of Honoka's latest single begins, matched by the roar of the audience. Eli bobs her head as she tucks her gloves back into her coat's pockets, hums the melody under her breath as she hangs the coat on its waiting hanger.  
  
She turns back in time to see Honoka illuminated by the brilliant stage light, one hand stretched to the sky, the other gripping her microphone. She begins, "One, two three—"  
  
"Let's dance," Eli replies softly, nearly drowned out by the same chant from the rest of the crowd. She moves to the kitchen, one eye always turned to the TV as she starts making dinner, moving to the music wih subtle sways of her hips, with a well-timed hip check to knock the silverware drawer closed. If she throws in a pirouette before washing the carrots, well, the only other person with a key to her apartment wouldn't judge her for it.  
  
A month before, Honoka sat at the kotatsu in the next room, trying to speak through a mouthful of curry to tell Eli how good her cooking was. She remembered Honoka saying, "I want you to hear what my next song is going to be," and how her strong, beautiful voice cut through the silence of her small apartment. Honoka looked into her eyes, a smudge of curry on her right cheek, and told her, "I chose it because it reminded me of you, Eli. When you dance, I think the whole world stops to watch you."  
  
It's a short performance, and then the rest of the program is a standard variety show. Honoka plays a variety of games with the show's other guests and Eli shakes her head, bemused, as she eats dinner. She can't take her eyes from the screen, though: Honoka's charisma captures all the attention.

It's been that way from the beginning, she thinks. Eli has never been able to look away.

\--  
  
"Eli! I love you!" Honoka says when they skype chat later that night, because she believes in saying the most important things first. Her face is scrubbed clean of makeup but no less lovely for it. "Did you see me on TV?"  
  
Eli can't stop herself from smiling back. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world," she replies.


End file.
